Evaluations of government-funded training programs often combine results from similar operations in multiple sites. Findings inevitably vary. It is common to relate site-to-site variations in outcomes to variations in program design, participant characteristics, and the local environment. Frequently, such connections are constructed in a narrative synthesis of multisite results. This article us...

PURPOSE This article describes the organization, operation, and evaluation of the Oklahoma Aging Advocacy Leadership Academy (OAALA). DESIGN AND METHODS The Academy was designed to assure the continuation of future cohorts of advocates and volunteers for aging programs and services. It is a statewide training program consisting of 10 weekend sessions. The curriculum incorporates age-related c...

Mentoring is increasingly recognized as a critical element in supporting successful careers in academic research in medicine and related disciplines, particularly for trainees and early career investigators from underrepresented backgrounds. Mentoring is often executed ad hoc; there are limited programs to train faculty to become more effective mentors, and the few that exist have a dearth of e...

This paper uses meta-analysis to investigate whether random assignment (or experimental) evaluations of voluntary government-funded training programs for the disadvantaged have produced different conclusions than nonexperimental evaluations. Information includes several hundred estimates from 31 evaluations of 15 programs that operated between 1964 and 1998. The results suggest that experimenta...

BACKGROUND To test the value of a simulated Family Conference Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) for resident assessment purposes, we examined the generalizability and construct validity of its scores in a multi-institutional study. METHODS Thirty-four first-year (PG1) and 27 third-year (PG3) surgery residents (n = 61) from 6 training programs were tested. The OSCE consisted of 2 cases...

The aim of this study was to create simulation-based tests with credible pass/fail standards for 2 different fidelities of colonoscopy models. Only competent practitioners should perform colonoscopy. Reliable and valid simulation-based tests could be used to establish basic competency in colonoscopy before practicing on patients. Twenty-five physicians (10 consultants with endoscopic experience...

Orthopedic surgery residency training is a difficult endeavor, and the selection of residents that will perform well in a rigorous training program is challenging for residency program directors. Even defining a "great" resident is a difficult endeavor. However, there are certain qualities that anecdotally are associated with high-performing residents, which include being trustworthy, hard-work...

“... Research on prevention interventions is in its infancy due to theoretical and methodological inadequacies. Few interventions are theoretically based... Most evaluations have suffered from weak research designs...most studies evaluate program effects, few...evaluate program implementation. The result of these shortcomings is that there is little knowledge regarding how prevention programs a...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Evaluating the effectiveness of maternal and child home visitation programs can be challenging. The complexity of program models, coupled with considerations of real-world program implementation, requires thoughtful and flexible evaluation strategies. Yet, meaningful evaluations of home visitation programs are not only feasible, but are essential as policymakers demand stronge...

This qualitative study explores the aspects of a residential wilderness experience that informed self-evaluations in male adolescents, ages 12-16. To assess change in self-evaluations and program factors associated with change, qualitative interviews were conducted with adolescents upon entry to the program and four months later. Participants' responses suggested that self-evaluation improved i...